Alex Smith Q&A: Harbaugh helped 49ers career end without regret

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith recently told the New York Times he and Kansas City coach Andy Reid would “love to stick it to everybody who thought we couldn’t do it.”

Would some of Smith’s doubters be on the opposite sideline when the Chiefs host the 49ers on Friday night?

On a conference call today, Smith laughed. He wasn’t referring to Jim Harbaugh or his former teammates in San Francisco, but his skeptics in general.

“I know that (quote) got played up a little bit, but I really felt like “Isn’t that stating the obvious?’” Smith said. “Every athlete wants to do that and for me it’s no different. No question. I’ve had a ton of support the last couple years there from a ton of fans, but, yeah, there are those ones out there.

“And as much as you don’t read the paper and listen to talk radio and stuff like that, you hear it inevitably. And, yeah, you’d love to do that. Love to prove them wrong.”

During a 12-minute conversation, Smith, 29, said he left the 49ers on good terms following a tumultuous eight-year tenure. He acknowledged his feelings would have been different if he’d never played for Jim Harbaugh, who arrived in 2011 and boisterously recruited Smith during the lockout.

With Harbaugh, Smith went 19-5-1 as a starter while throwing 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In 2011, he led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. In 2012, of course, he was supplanted by Colin Kaepernick after he sustained a concussion Nov. 11.

“To be honest, if I had left two years ago, before Harbaugh had gotten there, I would have held on to a little more – I don’t know what you want to call it – regret or a little more bitter about what had happened,” Smith said. “But, to be honest, the last two years I really feel like I’ve kind of made my peace with the fans, the organization in general. That’s why the transition this year has really been so great.”

Smith and Harbaugh recently exchanged text messages, and Smith laughed when it was noted his former coach said he was a friend but no longer a “trusted agent.”

“I’m not on the inside any more,” Smith said. “It’s to be expected. That is what it is. I have a ton of friends there. I still talk to (Harbaugh) and a lot of coaches there. But like I said – you move on. It’s not something I’m dwelling on or thinking about. I’m trying to get things going here.”

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Here’s the transcript of today’s interview with Smith:

How has the adjustment been for you?

AS: I’m getting there. The family officially made the move two weeks ago, which was nice. I was doing the commuting thing there for all of OTAs. Wrapping up camp today, so it’s good.

What’s the biggest adjustment been for you on football side of it?

AS: For one, the new system. Obviously new teammates and getting familiar with them. I think there are some similarities because it’s still West Coast – there are some similarities as far as verbiage with the last couple years (in San Francisco). But obviously some differences as well. So just trying to press delete on some of that old stuff and kind of engulf myself in the new system.

What was your first meeting like with Andy Reid? It seems like you two have been on the same page.

AS: It’s been great. He threw out a few Utah-BYU (Reid graduted from BYU) jabs in our first conversation. He was asking if I was ready to come out. If I still run 22-Z and it’s just kind of been moving forward since I got here, since that first phone call. It’s kind of been all football, full steam ahead.

Did you realize that Reid was so fond of you all these years?

AS: I did not. I met him through the draft process and it seemed like through my first eight years we played the Eagles eight times or something. It seemed like we were playing them every year or every other year. So got to see a lot of the Eagles that way. I had no idea. I’d heard little rumors here and there – you never know what’s true and what’s not. It wasn’t until after the Super Bowl there, sitting down with (general manager) Trent (Baalke), that I found out, yeah, there was some interest (from the Chiefs).

Was that dinner you had with Trent when you learned about the interest from Kansas City?

AS: I had talked to him there in (my exit interview) after the Super Bowl. You exit out and kind of meet with everybody as you’re leaving there. So I’d met with him there quick and that’s kind of when we arranged dinner to basically continue that conversation.

In contrast to San Francisco where there was always talk of Montana, Young and even Garcia, they’re really starved for some pretty good quarterback play there. There seems to be a feeling like you are the guy who can take them where they want to go. Is it nice to be in that situation?

AS: In a lot of ways, to be honest, it reminds me of a few years ago in San Francisco. An organization with a lot of tradition — going back to the (first) Super Bowl and the merger. A lot of tradition, a hungry fan base that hasn’t won as of late. And an organization that’s extremely hungry. So I do feel like there are a lot of similarities to a few years ago back in San Francisco.

You experienced good and bad from the 49ers fan base. You experienced good and bad from the organization. When you left what was your overall feeling about your eight years there?

AS: I think, for me, it’s a positive. And I’m not lying. I’m not BS-ing you. No question, I went through some different things. But it’s kind of led me to where I am today. I started my family there. My wife’s from there. We still have our place there. I love the area. And, to be honest, if I had left two years ago, before Harbaugh had gotten there, I would have held on to a little more – I don’t know what you want to call it – regret or a little more bitter about what had happened. But, to be honest, the last two years I really feel like I’ve kind of made my peace with the fans, the organization in general. That’s why the transition this year has really been so great. It’s really kind of been moving forward. Really kind of at peace with my eight years there.

Do you ever allow yourself to think about what would have happened last season had you remained in the lineup? And what could have happened in the Super Bowl if you’d been on the field?

AS: No. No. That’s not something I’m thinking about at all. You want to play at the time. And you think you should play, but my role changed. Honestly, you know you’re one play away. So you’re just staying ready. You try not to allow yourself to get into that kind of a mindset. You expect … when you go in you’re going to be successful if you get that opportunity. It happens so fast right there. It was like we were playing in the Super Bowl and all of a sudden, potential trade talk and where I was going to go. And then it happened. So really didn’t have time to dwell on stuff like that.

What do you think San Francisco, both the city and the organization, learned from you?

AS: It’s tough to answer. For me, the one thing I was trying to do there – I felt like so many times quarterbacks who may have been in a similar situation where things didn’t go well – it’s so easy to move on immediately. Not to say it’s right or wrong, but sometimes I just felt like sometimes the easiest thing isn’t the right thing. I wanted to try to make it work. I felt like we had the talent there to do that and I wanted to that. I felt like once you go down that line of jumping from place to place: I felt like so many guys have done that and I don’t feel like it ever turns out very good for them. That was my decision a few years to try to come back and coach Harbaugh gave me that opportunity. And that’s why I was willing to do it.

Did you hear Harbaugh’s comments this week? He called you a friend, but said you were no longer a “trusted agent.” What does that mean?

AS: I’m not on the inside any more. It’s to be expected. That is what it is. I have a ton of friends there. I still talk to (Harbaugh) and a lot of coaches there. But like I said – you move on. It’s not something I’m dwelling on or thinking about. I’m trying to get things going here.

How do you feel about getting things going there?

AS: Good … Another thing that also reminds me of San Francisco is just how much talent they have. For whatever reason, they didn’t get it done here. Who knows for what reasons. But fully capable of turning this thing around and turning it around fast. It’s easier said than done, but I think we definitely have that ability.

A recent story in the New York Times played up a quote where you said you and Reid would like to ‘stick it’ to your doubters …

AS: For sure. I know that got played up a little bit, but I really felt like “Isn’t that stating the obvious?’ Every athlete wants to do that and for me it’s no different. No question. I’ve had a ton of support the last couple years there from a ton of fans, but, yeah, there are those ones out there. And as much as you don’t read the paper and listen to talk radio and stuff like that, you hear it inevitably. And, yeah, you’d love to do that. Love to prove them wrong.

Some people will read into that that you’d like to stick to the 49ers. Is there any part of you that would like to say “I told you so” to the organization?

AS: When I said that – 100 percent – was not talking about the Niners. I think just basically anybody in general that thought I couldn’t do it, that thinks I can’t do it. Or whatever. A fan. A player. Anybody. No specific group.

When was the last time you spoke with coach Harbaugh?

AS: We exchanged texts a few weeks ago. He shot me a text saying that he’d seen something on NFL Network or something and was thinking about me. He just shot me a text. And I texted him back. So, yeah, we texted back a couple of times.